1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns an automatic machine for fitting flexible seals, in particular glazing unit flexible seals, the machine comprising a loading table, a seal storage device and a seal fitting and cutting device.
2. Description of the prior art
An opening window frame made from wood, plastics material, aluminum or like material generally comprises two horizontal crossmembers and two vertical uprights forming a frame receiving on its outside edge fixtures (ironmongery) for articulating it to or supporting it on the fixed frame. The uprights and crossmembers incorporate internal shoulders to receive the glazing unit or the like and external rebates receiving the various fixtures.
The seal behind the glazing unit and the seal placed on the glazing unit and/or on the beading are conventionally fitted by hand.
The frame is usually laid horizontally; the preformed butyl seal, supplied on a paper backing, is fitted to the back of the internal shoulder on the frame; the glazing unit is fitted; a second preformed butyl seal is fitted and the beading is fitted; all these superposed elements are pressed horizontally to secure adequate compression of the seals and the beading is fixed mechanically, generally by nailing it. These operations are followed by finishing which entails cutting off any butyl flash encroaching on the glazing unit.
To eliminate this flash cutting operation a groove is sometimes provided at the back of the inside shoulder of the frame or of the beading into which the seal is inserted, with the result that it does not encroach laterally on the glazing unit, any excess seal being accommodated within the groove.
The present invention proposes an automatic machine for fitting and cutting the glazing unit seal comprising a frame feed, referencing and measuring mechanism which enables the seal to be fitted automatically, continuously and dynamically with no interaction between the various operations.
The seal fitting and cutting device comprises a frame receiving a gantry. In a manner that is known in itself, this gantry provides for movement in two directions enabling operations to be carried out by a manipulator head.
The frame and the gantry together with their displacement means are known in themselves. Note, however, that it is their displacement that is utilized to pay out the seal.
The supporting gantry and the displacement device comprising a framework, a gantry mobile in translation on the framework and a carriage mobile in translation on the gantry, the latter being adapted to support a manipulator head rotatable relative to the carriage, are as described in our copending French patent application No. 89 03 090 filed Mar. 9, 1989.
The carriage has a central vertical shaft rotated by a vertical axis motor-gearbox unit via a chain transmission. The bottom of this vertical shaft carries the seal manipulator head and the shaft is hollow to enable the seal and cables or hoses supplying the fitting head and its ancillary devices to be passed through it. The shaft rotates between four positions at 90.degree. corresponding to the four sides of the window frame. Its rotation is limited to 360.degree. with a return to the central position each time the frame is changed to minimize twisting of the cables, hoses and seals passing through the hollow shaft. Of course, this mode of operation is in no way limiting since the position of the hollow shaft may be programmed for fitting out frames of various parallelepiped shapes and even frames that are round or of any other shape.
The manipulator head is fixed by screws or like means to the wall of the hollow shaft and is located under the gantry carriage.